Colourful Spring Festival celebrations to welcome Chinese New Year

Chinese people around the world have celebrated the Lunar New Year and welcomed the Year of the Rooster. Many ushered the new year in by lighting incense sticks and praying at temples to wish for an auspicious beginning. IBTimes UK presents photos of colourful festivities around China and in other Asian countries.

Dancers are seen after performing at a fair on the second day of the Lunar New Year in BeijingDragon dancers wait to perform at a fair during New Year festivities in BeijingKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesA man smokes a cigarette as he sets off firecrackers, a traditional way of warding off evil spirits, in BeijingKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesPerformers take a part in a re-enactment of an ancient Qing Dynasty ceremony at Ditan Park (the Temple of Earth) in BeijingDamir Sagoli/ReutersActors dressed as imperial guards stage a re-enactment of sacrifices once made by China's emperors to the God of the Earth, in Ditan park, BeijingFred Dufour/AFPEthnic Dong women wearing traditional costumes celebrate the lunar new year, in Liping, Guizhou province, ChinaReutersA performer smokes as he waits for his turn to go onto stage at Longtan park in BeijingDamir Sagoli/ReutersA performer in traditional costume waits for her turn to go on stage at Longtan park in BeijingDamir Sagoli/ReutersPeople watch dancers perform at a fair on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in BeijingKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesBoys sit in a motorised toy tank at a fair on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in BeijingKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesA girl runs on the frozen Houhai lake during Lunar New Year celebrations in BeijingNicolas Asfouri/AFPDancers wait to perform at a fair in BeijingKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesA woman in Beijing prays with incense for good luck and fortune on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New YearKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesWorshippers light incense for good luck and fortune at Yonghegong or Lama Temple in BeijingKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesPeople burn incense to celebrate the Lunar New Year at a Buddhist temple in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region, ChinaReutersSecurity staff take a break together on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Yonghegong or Lama Temple in BeijingKevin Frayer/Getty ImagesFireworks illuminate the city's skyline in Hong KongLam Yik Fei/Getty ImagesA performer takes part in a parade to mark the Lunar New Year celebrations in Hong KongAnthony Wallace/AFPPerformers wait to take part in a parade to mark the Year of the Rooster in Hong KongAnthony Wallace/AFPPeople celebrate Lunar New Year at a countdown party in Hanoi, VietnamLinh Pham/Getty ImagesPeople celebrate Lunar New Year at a countdown party in the centre of HanoiLinh Pham/Getty ImagesPeople buy rooster-shaped balloons in Hanoi, VietnamLinh Pham/Getty ImagesCalligraphers write Lunar New Year greetings for customers outside the Tay Ho Temple in Hanoi, VietnamLinh Pham/Getty ImagesMen watch a cockfight at an event organised to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the year of the Rooster on the outskirts of Bangkok, ThailandJorge Silva/ReutersA performer takes a selfie in front of a Chinese lion representation during the Lunar New Year celebrations in Lumpini Park in BangkokRoberto Schmidt/AFPPeople in Hanoi burn ghost money so their deceased relatives can be wealthy in the afterlifeLinh Pham/Getty Images